Storm drops hail and heavy rain, flooding Fort Collins streets

Aug. 3, 2013

Flooding at Prospect Road and College Avenue had cars wading through water on Saturday in Fort Collins. / Trevor Hughes/The Coloradoan

More

ADVERTISEMENT

Fort Collins took a beating Saturday from torrential rain and hail that spent the afternoon menacing the Front Range and northeastern Colorado.

There were numerous thunderstorm warnings, a tornado warning and an hourslong tornado watch in parts of the area, along with many reports of tornadoes across Northern Colorado. The Boulder National Weather Service Twitter page said baseball-size hail had been reported 3 miles northeast of Wellington.

Fort Collins intersections were flooded after the deluge that brought pea-sized hail with it, including the busy Prospect Road and College Avenue intersection, where cars drove through water a foot deep.

All of Larimer County was under a tornado watch until 10 p.m. Saturday.

The weather made its mark across the entire northern Front Range and northeastern Colorado, with reports of torrential rain, hail, tornadoes touching down and flooding from Eaton to Erie.

Saturday’s storms first passed through areas north of Livermore and over Virginia Dale, causing “significant” flooding on Red Mountain Road, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office tweeted. As much as 4 to 5 feet of water flooded Larimer County Road 76H northwest of Livermore. The county’s road and bridge department closed the road as waters from Stonewall Creek flooded it, according to the sheriff’s office.

Rain gauges in the eastern part of Fort Collins recorded up to an inch and a half of rain, according to the city’s website.